Application service providers (ASP), Internet service providers (ISP), and the like often provide their users with a service associated with a namespace such as electronic mail. Regardless of the provider, users must be authenticated before they are allowed access to their respective e-mail accounts. For example, an e-mail provider may verify the login and password of a user before allowing the user to access his or her e-mail. One way for an e-mail provider to perform authentication is through the use of software and servers and databases associated with the provider itself. However, the e-mail provider must maintain and upgrade the authentication software, servers, and databases, which may not be cost efficient or even possible. Another way for an e-mail provider to perform authentication is through the use of a centralized, multi-site user authentication system. Unfortunately, presently available systems of this type do not permit the e-mail provider to administer or manage the numerous e-mail accounts within the namespace or other e-mail domain associated with the mail server of the provider. In other words, the e-mail provider cannot, for example, create new accounts, cancel terminated accounts, reset user passwords, and so forth with intervention by the multi-site user authentication system.
For these reasons, a system for delegated administration of namespace management is desired to address one or more of these and other disadvantages.